Coffin or casket.



PATENTED MAY 2, 1905.

0. 1). GRANDAL.

UOFPIN 0R GASKET.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 1 1904f- 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED MAY 2, 1905.

C. D. GRANDAL.

GOFFIN OR GASKET.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 1. 1904.

2 SHEETS-8HEET 2.

' shape.

UNiTEp STATES Patented May 2, 1905.

I PATENT Orricn.

OHAUNOEY D. ORANDAL, OF ST. .LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- I-IALF TOWILLIAM M. MURRAY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

COFFIN OR CASKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 789,00 7, dated May 2,1905,

Application filed July 1, 1904. Serial No. 214,862.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OHAUNOEY D. ORANDAL, a citizen of the United States,residing at St. Louis, State ,of Missouri, have invented certain new andusefulImprovements in Ooflins or Caskets, of which the following is aspecification containing a full, clear, and exact description, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to improvements in cofiins and caskets; and itconsists of the novel features herein shown, described, and claimed.

1n the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a coflin embodyingthe principles of my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the coffinshown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective of the hinged panel-support.Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-section substantially on the line 4 4 ofFig. 1, showing the details of construction, parts being broken away toeconomize space. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the top-fastener. Fig. 6is a bottom plan view of the top-fastener. Fig. 7 is a sectional detailof the top-fastener and top, taken substantially on the line 7 7 of Fig5, parts of the top being broken away.

In the drawings I have shown a coffin; but it is obvious that the sameprinciples may be applied to a casket.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the coflin comprises the bottom 12,the end walls 13 and 14, the side wall 15, the rigid paneltop 16, andthe hinged panel-top 17. The bottom 12 may be a solid board cut to theproper outlines, and the end and side wall may be made ofthree-cross-ply veneer or five-crossply veneer or with the combinationof two outer veneers secured to suitable cross-strips, all gluedtogether and made into the proper In the details in Fig. 4 I have shownfive-cross-ply veneer for the walls 13, 14, and 15. The ends 13 and 14are bent and formed walls.

than the width of the walls. A binding-strip is placed against the outerfaces of the walls, extending upwardly a short distance from the loweredges of the walls and entirely encircling the coffin, and the fastenersextend upwardly from the binding-strip 25. Corner-pieces 26 are placedin position in line with the fasteners, the upper ends of saidcorner-pieces being attached to the lower ends of the fasteners and saidcorner-pieces extending downwardly around the bindingstrip 25 under theedges of the walls and under the bottom 12, said corner-pieces beingsecured to the bottom 12 by integral teeth 27 driven into the bottom,and by nails 28, inserted through the corner-pieces into the bottom,said corner-pieces serving to cover the joints to ornament the base ofthe cofiin formed by the binding-strip 25 and to connect the wallssecurely to the bottom.

The upper edges of the walls 13, 14, and 15 are covered by a bindercomprising the central portion 29, resting horizontally upon the upperedges of the walls, and the attaching portions 30 and 31 extendingdownwardly from the central portion upon the inner and outer sides ofthe walls. The binder is formed of sheet metal, and the metal is bentbackwardly upon itself at the junction of the attaching-pieces to thecentral portion to form the flanges 32 and 33, and the binder is pressedor shaped to fit the upper edges of the walls and form a continuousfinished metallic surface. Rivets 34 are inserted suitable distancesapart to hold the binder in position.

The top 16 is secured rigidly and removably to the walls of the body byfasteners, the details of which are shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7. Eachfastener comprises a cam-plate 35, having cam-slots 36 and 37 in a linecrosswise of its center and having a pivoted eyelet 38 at its center;the attaching-plates 39 and 40, formed integral with the cam-plate theeccentric plate 41, pivotally mounted upon the eyelet 38 and having theeccentric slots 42 and 43 operating crosswise of the cam-slots 36,

and 37; the handle 44 for operating the eccentric plate 41; thespring-frame 45, mounted on the top of the attaching-plate 39, and

the clamping-teeth 46 and 47 extending fromthe ends of the spring-frame45 downwardly through the eccentric slots 42 and 43 and through thecam-slots 36 and 37 to engage under the flanges 32 and 33, so that whenthe handle 44 is operated in the direction indicated by the arrow inFig. 5 the teeth 46 and 47 will be spread apart to release the top 16from the body and when the handle 44 is op erated in the other directionthe teeth 46"and 47 will be forced together to grip the flanges 32 and33 and hold the top securely in position.

The rigid panel-top 16 is securely mounted upon the body-coffin, and thehinged paneltop 17 is connected to the rigid panel-top by detachablelock-hinges. Each detachable lockhinge comprises two members.

The top 17 will swing back upon the top 16, and in order to prevent thetwo tops from knocking together I use a hinged panel-support comprisingthe attaching-plate 59, having screw-openings 60, through which screwsare inserted to attach the plate to the end of the top 17; thebearing-plates 61 extending upwardly from the attaching-plate 59; thehousing plate 62, connecting the bearingplates 61, said housing-platebeing as high as the bearing-plates; the housing-plate 63, connectingthe bases of the bearing-plates 61, thus forming the socket 64; thepivoted post 65, having a slotted bearing 66, (shown in dotted lines;)the pivot 67 inserted through the bearing-plates 61 and through theslotted bearing 66; the head 68 upon the free end of the pivoted post,and the rubber cushion 69, carried by the head. The end of the pivotedpost will slide downwardly into the socket 64, and then thehousing-plates will hold the post in a Vertical position, and the postis long enough so that the cushion 69 extends above the top of the panel17, and when the panel is swung backwardly upon the top 16 the cushion69 will engage the top 16 and prevent marring and noise. When the top 17is swung to its closed position, the post 65 may be raised upwardly inthe socket 64 to the extent of the slotted bearing 66, and then the postmay turn downwardly upon the housingplate 63.

Openings 31 are formed in the attaching portions 31 of the binder, sothat when it is desired to place a lining in the cover the tacks tosecure the lining may be inserted through said openings.

Ina companion application, filed January 9, 1905, for interlockingfasteners, Serial No. 240,308, I have shown, described, and claimed theinterlocking fastener generally, and I do not wish to make such claimsin this application.

I claim- 1. In coffins and caskets: a solid bottom; walls extendingupwardly from the bottom and having veneered inner and outer surfaces;

interlocked fastenings connecting the meeting edges of the walls; and abinder covering the upper edges of the walls; substantially asspecified.

2. In coffins and caskets: a suitable bottom; walls extending upwardlyfrom the bottom; interlocked fastenings connecting the meet-v ing edgesof the walls; each of said fastenings comprising: a sheet-metal platehaving the central portion 18; the returned portions 19 and 20 bentbackwardly upon the central portion; the spacing portions 21 and 22extending inwardly side by side from the inner edges of the portions 19and 20; and the interlocked teeth 23 and 24 extending from the inneredges of the portions 21 and 22; said teeth crossing over the portions21 and 22, so as to lock said portions together; substantially asspecified.

3. In colfins and caskets: a suitable bottom; walls extending upwardlyfrom the bottom; and interlocked fastenings connecting the meeting edgesof the walls, each of said interlocked fastenings comprising: asheet-metal plate bent to form a central portion adapted to cover thejoint; returned portions extending inwardly from the edges of thecentral portion; spacing portions extending backwardly from the inneredges of the returned portions; teeth extending from the rear edges ofthe spacing portions; and said teeth crossing over so as to lock thespacing portions together; substantially as specified. v

4. In cofiins and caskets: a suitable bottom; walls extending upwardlyfrom the bottom; interlocked fasteners connecting the meeting edges ofthe walls; and a binder covering the upper edges of the walls; saidbinder comprising the central portion 29 resting horizontally upon theupper edges of the walls; and the attaching portions 30 and 31 extendingdownwardly from the central portion upon the inner and outer sides ofthe walls; substantially as specified.

5. In coflins and caskets: a suitable bottom; veneered walls extendingupwardly from the bottom; interlocked fasteners connecting the meetingedges of the veneered walls; and a binder covering the upper edges ofthe veneered walls and connecting said walls together, said bindercomprising a central portion resting horizontally upon the upper edgesof the veneered walls; and attaching portions extending downwardly fromthe edges of the central portion upon the inner and outer faces of theveneered walls; substantially as specitied.

6. In coflins and caskets: asuitable body: a top for covering the body;and fasteners for removably connecting the top to the body; each of saidfasteners comprising: a cam-plate having cam-slots in a line crosswiseof its center; attaching-plates extending from the camplate; aneccentric plate pivotally mounted upon the cam-plate and havingeccentric slots operating crosswise of the cam-slots; a springframemounted upon one of the attachingplates; and clamping-teeth extendingfrom the spring-frame through the eccentric slots and through thecam-slots, so that by rotating the cam-plate, the clamping-teeth may beopened or closed; said attaching-plates being secured to the top; andmeans carried by the body to be engaged by the clamping-teeth;substantially as specified.

7. In coifins and caskets: a suitable bottom; walls extending upwardlyfrom the bottom; a binder covering the upper edges of said walls andconnecting the walls together; said binder comprising a central portionresting horizontally upon the upper edges of the walls; and attachingportions extending downwardly from the central portion upon the innerand outer sides of the walls; flanges extending outwardly at thejunction of the attaching-plates with the central portion; a top forcovering the body; and fasteners for connecting the top removably to thebody; each of said fasteners comprising: a cam-plate secured to the top;an eccentric plate pivotally mounted upon the cam-plate and havingeccentric slots; a handle for operating the eccentric plate;

and means of providing clamping-teeth extending downwardly through theeccentric slots to engage said flanges, so that by moving the eccentricplate one way, the teeth will be opened, and by moving the eccentricplate the other way, the clamping-teeth will be closed to grip saidflanges and hold the top in position; substantially as specified.

8. 1n coffins and caskets: a suitable rigid top; a hinged top connectedto the rigid top and adapted to swing over upon the rigid top; and asupport to prevent the two tops from knocking together; said supportcomprising, an attaching-plate; a socket extending upwardly from theattaching-plate; a post pivotally mounted in said socket; the pivotedbearing of the post being slotted; and a cushion carried by the upperend of said post; substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification inpresence of two subscribing witnesses. i

CHAUNCEY D. ORANDAL.

Witnesses:

ALFRED A. EIoKs, M. M. BRAZILL.

